Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41
शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites
Morning Purity & Bath Procedure
पुनर्देवं शिवं नत्वा ततो नामाष्टकं जपेत् । शिवो महेश्वरश्चैव रुद्रो विष्णुः पितामहः
punardevaṃ śivaṃ natvā tato nāmāṣṭakaṃ japet | śivo maheśvaraścaiva rudro viṣṇuḥ pitāmahaḥ
మళ్లీ దేవాధిదేవుడు శివునికి నమస్కరించి, ఆపై ఆయన నామాష్టకాన్ని జపించాలి— “శివ, మహేశ్వర, రుద్ర, విష్ణు, పితామహ (బ్రహ్మ) …”
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: śivaḥ maheśvaraś caiva rudro viṣṇuḥ pitāmahaḥ
Type: stotra
FAQs
It teaches a simple Shaiva sādhanā: offer reverence to Śiva and then perform nāma-japa. The verse frames Śiva as the supreme Pati whose grace is approached through devotion and repetition of His sacred names.
Bowing first indicates embodied (saguṇa) worship—often before the Śiva-liṅga—followed by recitation of names. The names serve as a verbal form of worship that concentrates the mind on Śiva’s manifest qualities while pointing to His all-pervading lordship.
Perform praṇāma (bowing) to Śiva and then do japa of the nāmāṣṭaka—repeating the listed names with attention and devotion as a focused meditation.